Jorge Chavez Crest, general (r) of the Army, returns to the Ministry of Defense (Mindef) in the midst of a scenario of political crisis and social upheaval. He tells of his plans for the sector and stands firm against acts of violence.
How have you found the Mindef after 17 months?
It is as if all activities in the ministry have stopped in time. I have been able to appreciate that since July 2021 institutional strengthening and all public policies have not been carried out. We are accelerating actions every minute to carry out a proper restructuring and organization with the right and competent people.
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In an interview I did with him last October, he told me that antaurism had its share of power. Are those characters still around?
No, due to the high turnover of ministers. What I have found is a share of power for each minister there has been. There are some officials who have been brought by former Minister Daniel Barragán and what is being evaluated is his suitability and competence.
What plan do you have for the Ministry of Defense?
There are two axes. First, determine the scenarios to solve the current political crisis. This crisis has brought as a consequence the popular overflow. The crisis is not over, we are not going to declare ourselves triumphalists and say that everything has calmed down, it is not like that. We have not had (functioning) a body as important as the National Intelligence Directorate (DINI) that can make us see. It is the eyes and ears of the State against threats that may arise internally or externally. That has been a failure and we are going to recover it. On Thursday I met with the high command of the Armed Forces. to provide provisions in this regard. Second axis: strengthen the institutionality of the Armed Forces, enough of the cronyism and compadrismo.
He tells me that he met with the high command of the armed forces. Was there talk about any operation that might not have been the right one during the confrontations?
I do not want to make a political interference in the authority exercised by the Prosecutor’s Office as head of the criminal action because I want to guarantee transparency. At the request of the Public Ministry we have provided all the information. They have been transferred to the areas to initiate the corresponding procedures. We have also transferred the members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). They have spoken with the local authorities and the commandos that have participated. It is not only about Ayacucho. We have seven to eight regions where the unfortunate victims have occurred – and from here I express my sensitive condolences. I come from the quarries to save lives, from Civil Defense. All my life I have pledged and sworn an oath to defend the nation and defend lives. I am not avoiding the question, but I prefer to wait for the pronouncement of the Prosecutor’s Office or the IACHR to take the corresponding actions.
The violentists have said that they are in a truce. Is this a theater of war?
The first scenario was a protest under the just demands of the population tired of non-compliance with demands. The previous government made the very serious mistake of going to many areas and promising gold and Moor. Something that cannot be accomplished. If I want to establish public policies and solve problems, it is necessary to go gradually. The people, tired of it, have said early elections. In this spirit, the president has presented a proposal that –thank God– for the health of Peru, has been accepted by Congress. Some say, why not do them in 120 days? Please, do we want to have more of the same in the next elections? We want to have a clean and transparent electoral process with political reforms. We cannot do something lightly.
That message has to be carried throughout the country.
What is being done is the transfer of officials to establish a dialogue with the incoming authorities, and in some cases outgoing, in the sense of asking about their requirements and unsatisfied demands. But not all are participants in the dialogue. There are leaders who are taking advantage of this moment with a type of personal interest that the only thing that seeks is the generation of violence. Just as we are going to have the firmness of dialogue and openness, also the firmness that the State cannot allow acts of violence. With that I am not saying that we are going to make an irrational use of force, but the mechanisms exist to guarantee the rule of law. The Police is doing a job to identify the people who are taking advantage of the popular discontent. We are not in a war with our population.
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What does this government offer to Peruvians?
In principle, guarantee that this is a cabinet of peace, dialogue and meritocracy. There is a lot of unsatisfied demand in the population; That is why we are going to approach them and tell them that we are a transitional government that will leave in July 2024 and we are going to gradually achieve these objectives. The second offer is to guarantee the rule of law, but using the corresponding legal mechanisms. Madam President’s priority is to prioritize human life. I, in the faithful use of the rules of engagement to guarantee the rule of law, will enforce it. That is my commitment. I have always developed every action with the aim of preventively saving human life and, reactively, also in the response processes, and I will do so.
KEEP IN MIND
- “In the Armed Forces we have sworn to defend the nation at the cost of our own lives. Not to a person, not to a government. I can guarantee that the morale of the Armed Forces. it is always at the service of the country”, says Chávez.
- “We are going to be more aggressive in the social communication of early elections and the demands that the population needs”, indicates the minister.
